Development of virtual education

DR. GLEN M. FARRELL
Provision for education will be the biggest challenge for most governments as they attempt to attain the ideals of peace, freedom, and social justice, while striving at the same time to position themselves to generate more wealth and compete in the free global market. Bold steps have to be considered by states to provide their people with affordable access to education; using methods of mass education will be inevitable. Even by using these methods, not all aspirations will be met. Intervention by outside agencies is one solution, but it will come at a higher cost than most individuals in the developing parts of the world can afford. One solution available for Governments of the Commonwealth is to use the newer technologies as vehicles to bring a variety of educational opportunities to individuals in their respective countries. The knowledge, skills and a significant part of the infrastructure to create a virtual campus seems to be there in many jurisdictions but little is known of the what, why, and how of such operations. (From A Proposal to Study Trends in the Virtual Delivery of Education, presented to the U.K. Department of International Development) With that rationale, the Commonwealth of Learning proposed to the United Kingdom Department for International Development that a comprehensive study be made of the global state of practice globally of virtual education in schools and on campuses in order to achieve the following:
· Get a snapshot picture of what is being done by whom and where.
· Study the potential impact of such initiatives on a range of current practices.
· Provide Commonwealth Governments with information relating to technology and telecommunication infrastructure as well as financial and human resource needs for setting up virtual learning facilities.
· Enable existing distance education providers of the Commonwealth to rengineer themselves to benefit from this emerging option.
· Review protocols and other administrative arrangements for awarding credits and credentials under special circumstances through Commonwealth co-operation in virtuality. The Department for International Development agreed to fund the study and work began in September 1998.
Process and Methodology The study is intended to provide a global snapshot of the state and practice of virtual education. It is not meant to be an exhaustive analysis of all virtual education initiatives. It should be seen as illustrative, based on the knowledge and perceptions of the individual members of the study team. We also see this as a work in progress because the interest and activity in the concept we have called virtual education is extremely dynamic. The Commonwealth of Learning identified 10 global regions and commissioned an individual in each region to write a paper describing, from his or her perspective, the state of practice of virtual education in that region. Study team members were selected on the basis of their known interest, expertise, and experience in the development of virtual education strategies and models. The regional reports were completed in February 1999, and the study group convened during the first week of March in Brunei Darrusalam during the Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning to review regional developments and synthesise a global perspective. The first task of the study team was to define the study parameters and agree on a working definition of virtual education (see Framework for Regional Reports in Appendix 1.1). This was a difficult task, and the definition initially agreed upon is admittedly broad. Making it more precise would have meant excluding a great deal of current practice that involves some exciting and creative use of information and communication technologies. Having now gone through the exercise of applying the definition, we have concluded that it remains a useful way to conceptualise the notion of virtual education. As development takes place, the definition may become more focused on those teaching and learning interactions mediated entirely through the application of information and communication technologies. At this stage, however, there are very few examples where that is the case. Within the Framework team members were encouraged to develop their reports to reflect the context of virtual education development in their regions. Some of the reports focus on the state of information and communication technology infrastructure development in the region, while others (those where the infrastructure is readily available), provide examples of practice and discuss the related issues. Some team members, because of the size and complexity of their assigned regions and the lack of access to electronic data-gathering capacity, were compromised in their ability to make their reports as comprehensive as they would have wished. (Note: Throughout this publication, universal resource locators (URLs) are included to permit readers to pursue additional information on sites and topics referenced. These URLs are valid Internet addresses as of March 1999.
Due to the nature of the World Wide Web and the restructuring of home pages by Web masters, the addresses might change by the time readers try to access the referenced sites. If you get an “Error 404” or “Invalid Location” message when you try to access a site, try removing the last part of the address to at least get to the home page of the host organisation.) General Observations The 10 regional reports reflect, not surprisingly, a great deal of variation in the stage of development of virtual models of education. Taken together, however, they do provide a world view from which the study team has distilled the following observations: *
The label virtual is widely and indiscriminately used around the world. Indeed, it is frequently used interchangeably with other labels such as open and distance learning, distributed learning, tworked learning, Web-based learning, and computer learning. Furthermore, it is used in some regions to refer to systems that combine broadcast and interactive teleconferencing technologies that operate in real time. With such broad use of the term, you need to know what the information and communication technology applications are in order to know what virtual education means in any given context. *
In spite of the increased use of the term virtual, there are very few examples of institutions using information and communication technologies to carry out all the functions included in our definition. The most common applications of information and communication technologies are found in administration, materials development and distribution, and where possible, student tuition in the form of student-student and student-tutor interaction.*
While there are still few examples of virtual institutions in the purest sense, the amount of development activity in all types and levels of educational organisations, both public and private, is considerable in all parts of the world. No one seems to doubt that the development and deployment of information and communication technologies will have a profound impact on access, institutional functioning, and the teaching and learning process. However, teachers and administrators have many questions and concerns (see the section below, The Global Context of Virtual Institution Development). *
The development of virtual institutions is still experimental, rather unfocused, and not necessarily matched to clientele learning needs. While there are some exceptions (e.g., the programmes offered in Communications Studies at the University of Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand), generally the applications of information and communication technologies tend to be unsophisticated. Commonly, for example, the World Wide Web is used by institutions simply as a publishing medium without addressing the interactive potential of the technology. This may be because little attention seems to be paid to the importance of staff retraining and development. *
There are some remarkable examples of the transformation that can take place when a vision for an educational system is developed and its implementation championed by decisionmakers. Perhaps the clearest examples are the initiatives that have been taken in Korea (see Appendix 9.1 in Virtual Institutions in East and Southeast Asia). *
The emergence of virtual institutions is directly linked to the development of, and access to, information and communication technology infrastructure. However, major socio-economic and geographical disparities exist in such access. This disparity is perhaps the most critical issue of virtual education because those without access are likely to be increasingly disadvantaged in acquiring skills and knowledge. In spite of this obvious linkage, it seems that strategic planning for the development of information and communication technology infrastructure typically proceeds with little, if any, consideration for educational applications. *
The application of information and communication technologies to the provision of education is having a two-pronged effect on the marketing of education by institutions. First, there is now an emphasis on strategies that respond to niche learning needs rather than on a broad array of programmes to a common market group. In other words, the market is being fragmented. Second, there is an unprecedented degree of competition, Introduction 4 nationally and internationally, which is creating problems for those institutions that have historically used revenue from high-demand programmes to subsidise the low-demand programmes. Some jurisdictions are attempting to limit this growing competition through legislation, regulation, and accreditation requirements. However, the consensus seems to be that these measures will, at best, be effective only in the short term since the technologies being used do not honour political boundaries. *
It’s generally believed that we will see the emergence of a relatively small number of international providers who will dominate the educational market through vast distribution networks and strategic partnerships. However, at this stage in the evolution of virtual institutions, this observation appears to be more rhetorical than real. While there is evidence of global providers and of their continuing emergence, there is, as yet, no indication that they will dominate the marketplace.*
The emergence of virtual institutions appears to be coming from four separate sources: 1. Institutions that have historically been involved in open and distance education on a single mode or dual-mode basis. 2. Traditional institutions, from schools to universities, that have never been involved in distance education. These institutions are now beginning to apply information and communication technologies to support their campusbased teaching in order to add quality and increase productivity and flexibility, with the belief that doing so may reduce costs and increase revenue by attracting new students. This transition is typically occurring on a programmespecific basis that, in many instances, is creating a virtual institution inside a traditional institution. 3. The corporate sector. Many large organisations have developed internal training programmes based on information and communication technology delivery and, increasingly, they, are marketing them using the virtual label. 4. Individuals who, for reasons ranging from altruism to profit, are motivated to use the technology to create learning opportunities for anyone who is interested. This study did not set out to either document or describe the emergence of this form of virtual education; however, it is becoming commonplace on the World Wide Web and deserves to be identified. *
Cost reduction is frequently cited as an objective to be served through the introduction of information and communication technologies within educational institutions. However, there is a paucity of valid and reliable data on the question of costs. *
There is rapid emergence, particularly in North America, of new forms of virtual organisations that do not act as direct providers of educational programmes. This observation reflects the shift to institutions “unbundling” many functions, such as the development and distribution of learning materials, tuition, assessment, registration and record-keeping, award-granting, learner support, and general administration. These functions can now be shared through a wide variety of organisational arrangements marked by specialisation and “added-value” partnerships involving both the public and private sectors.
The Global Context of Virtual Institution Development The evolution of virtual institutions is occurring in the context of a wide range of forces that, on one hand, are driving the need for change, and on the other, serve to constrain change or at least slow the pace. These changes range from those that are regionally specific to those that are globally pervasive. The importance of any one of them is determined by the specific socio-economic context of a given state or nation.
FORCES DRIVING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIRTUAL INSTITUTIONS
Factors that influence the development of virtual learning models are as follows:
· The increasing capacity, flexibility, and suitability of information and communication technologies to educational applications, together with the continuing decrease in the cost of hardware.
· The enabling capacity of the technologies to “unbundle” functions (as described above) that have traditionally been provided by one institution.
· The growth of knowledge, with its attendant consequence of the obsolescence of much of what was previously learned, placing an ever-increasing pressure on conventional models of education. People are seeking opportunities for lifelong learning, and with diverse personal circumstances, they require flexible access-to-learning opportunities and venues such as the home, the work place, the community learning centre, as well as the traditional campus-based institution.
· The realisation that the quality of the learning experience can be enhanced by applying information and communication technologies. In the conventional classroom we find increasing use of the Internet to access information, which enriches the learning experience. Further, in the conventional distance education environment, we find the technologies being adopted to improve the learning process through interactive and collaborative learning to reduce the learners’ sense of isolation.
· The demand from isolated learners for more equitable access and service. This, of course, is not new, and was the reason for the development of correspondence courses. However, the context is broader now as the capacity of the technologies enables a remote, single-room school to access many of the instructional resources available to schools in an urban setting.
· The perception of many institutions, particularly in Europe and North America, that the application of information and communication technologies will enable them to increase their market share in an environment that is increasingly competitive. · The need to be seen to be “keeping up with the competition.” Administrators worry that student recruitment, donations, and grants may decline if this expectation is not met. · The expectation by policy makers and administrators that the development of virtual delivery models will reduce costs, increase productivity, and enable expansion without cost increases.
FORCES OPPOSING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIRTUAL INSTITUTIONS
Opposing those forces that are driving the emergence of virtual learning models is another set of values, beliefs, perceptions, and realities that serve to constrain the rate of change. The following are examples:
· In many parts of the world there is simply no access to networks and in many others Introduction 6 the cost of access is prohibitive. A related factor is the amount of bandwidth that can be accessed, which determines the possible information and communication technology applications.
· Many learners have no access to the necessary information and communication technology appliances such as computers, telephones, and televisions. Even within developed economies, the disparity of access is so great that many policy makers fear that adopting these technologies will result in a widening of the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots.”
· Copyright restrictions on the use of instructional products and materials do not promote sharing through collaborative inter-institutional arrangements or through broad international delivery models.
· The front-end cost of implementing high-quality virtual models constitutes a major constraint, even if it is believed that ultimate savings are possible through standardisation, resource sharing, economies of scale, and increased productivity. The cost of initial hardware, operating software, and instructional material development typically require capitalisation funds that far exceed the resources of most institutions. In some cases the problem is dealt with through internal reallocation of funds (e.g., from library acquisitions to technology support). There is also a widespread practice of passing these costs on to the student through tuition fee increases or special levies.
· Current systems of learner support are not designed to function effectively in a virtual education environment, creating problems for all but the most capable of independent learners.
· Perhaps the most commonly reported constraint is the reticence of most teachers and faculty to embrace the use of information and communication technologies. Lack of training in the use of the technologies is the most frequently cited reason for the reticence. However, concerns over job security, the need for greater preparation as a result of operating in a public environment like the World Wide Web, plus the need to manage an increased amount of communications with students are also contributing factors.
· The educational philosophy of many teachers and faculty contributes to their reticence of communication technology applications. If they believe that learning should be structured and directed by teachers, then they are not likely to be attracted to using information and communication technologies, which enables a more constructivist or learner-centred approach to education.
· The transfer of course credits among institutions is a problem for those students who would like to undertake a programme that might be available through virtual methods but would require taking courses from several different institutions. From the students’ perspective, this is a serious constraint on their ability to function as true virtual learners.
· Many people, particularly those who are younger and with less experience as independent learners, when given a choice prefer a traditional face-to-face learning environment. These learners tend to be more organised and vocal than older, part-time learners and, therefore, can be a significant political force against information and communication technology applications in education. While the above list is not exhaustive, it should remind educational policy makers and managers that, in many respects, it is not the technologies themselves that are at issue, but the purpose and manner of their use that are likely to influence opinion of virtual education.
Emerging Models of Virtual Education As stated earlier, the emergence of virtual education models is directly linked with the emergence of information and communication technology infrastructure. For example, the emergence of postal systems enabled by the development of transportation technology led to the development of correspondence models of education delivery. As the broadcast media evolved, first radio and more recently television, those technologies were applied to mass educational programming, typically those of a general and community education nature. Indeed many educators feel the potential for using these technologies has been, and remains, woefully under utilised. With the more recent development of real-time interactive media such as audio- and video-conferencing, there has been broad use of these technologies in formal education to reach underserved students. Applications have been particularly noticeable in North America and Australia. Now the phenomenon of the Internet and the World Wide Web is driving the broadest scope of interest and involvement in technology applications ever witnessed across all levels of educational institutions. With each of these developments of information and communication technology, the once-separate models of open and distance learning and the so-called conventional, campus-based education has increasingly converged. Tapsall and Ryan have elaborated on this phenomenon in their report on Australia, Virtual Education Institutions in Australia: Between the Idea and the Reality, suggesting an interesting model for looking at its evolution. One result of the convergence of teaching models has been the emergence of new forms of educational organisations. These models are not mutually exclusive and undoubtedly others will develop quickly. Here are a few current examples:
· There has been rapid growth of virtual education within many so-called traditional institutions. Virtual programmes are offered by institutions that offer most other pro grammes in the traditional manner. More mature examples exist in the United States, Australia, and Canada; however, it is an emerging phenomenon in all regions.
· Single-mode distance teaching organisations, using primarily print-based delivery and created originally with relatively clear and exclusive mandates, are now confronted with having to reinvent themselves. On one hand, their once-exclusive mandates are evaporating, and on the other, they are constrained in the use of information and communication technologies because their students typically have difficulty accessing the necessary appliances. · Broker-type organisations, designed to acquire or broker programmes from a variety of institutional providers and add value through flexible entry and credit transfer policies, are emerging rapidly. Two examples are the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) Going the Distance project in the United States and the University of the Highlands and the Islands project in Scotland. · Information and facility provider-type organisations have emerged in response to the support needs of learners as well as those of institutions. Examples include the Queensland Open Learning Network in Australia, the University for Industry in the U.K., the Maine Network for Education Technology Service in the U.S., the Confederation of Open Learning Institutions of South Africa, European Study Centres, and the Sylvan Calibre Learning Network in the U.S.
· Institutions that are authorised to award credentials and to provide a variety of other services such as learning assessment, educational Introduction 8 planning, and learning records, but do not provide instruction directly to students, are becoming part of educational systems, especially in North America. Examples are Regents College in New York State and the newly created Western Governors University in the United States. (Note, however, that the latter is still moving through the accreditation process.) It is noteworthy that while the United States never developed a single-mode distance teaching institution such as the U.K. Open University or the National Open School in India at either the state or national level, it is there that we are seeing the most prolific development of these newer institutional forms. It is also noteworthy that these newer types of organisations, which are not focused on direct instruction, potentially transcend political, geographic, and legislative boundaries much more easily than the more traditional models.
The rapid growth of private sector providers is another dimension of the emerging model scene.
These are three types:
1. Direct providers of instruction, usually with a focus on a particular niche market, have become prevalent and profitable. Examples are The University of Phoenix and Jones International University as described in Distance and Virtual Learning in the United States, and National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) as described in Virtual Institutions in the Indian Subcontinent.
2. Corporate training networks, developed initially to meet internal training needs, are now exploiting external market opportunities and are increasingly seeking formal recognition for the training they provide. Examples include Quantas Airlines, as cited in Virtual Education Institutions in Australia and South Africa Telecom, as cited in Virtual Institutions on the African Continent.
3. Specialised service organisations that are focused on providing consultation, project management, technical support, and private tuition have evolved on a fee-for-service basis. Examples are the IBM Global Campus and the McGraw-Hill Learning Infrastructure, as cited in Distance and Virtual Learning in the United States, Virtual University Enterprises as cited in European Trends in the Virtual Delivery of Education, and Real Education, as cited in Virtual Education Institutions in Australia. ( Note: Real Education no longer operates in Australia but remains active in the U.S.)
The phenomenon of the “tele-centre” or “tele-learning centre” is emerging as a hallmark of the virtual education environment. In concept it is not new; the idea of a community learning centre has long been a part of various models of adult education and was pioneered many years ago with the Scandinavian concept of “learning circles.” However, in its current form the concept involves the creation of community-based access points where connectivity to networks is provided and access to information and communication technology appliances is made available. While applications may not be exclusive to education, the idea of the technology-based community learning centre provides an essential component of any virtual education system that aspires to be broadly accessible. Countries like India, which recently announced it will create information kiosks throughout the country, and South Africa, with its commitment to developing tele-centres, are examples of nations which have recognised the importance of ensuring access to citizens as a matter of public policy. Although virtual education models have not yet influenced education at the primary and secondary levels in a pervasive sense, there is evidence that this will start to occur rapidly. Initiatives such as SchoolNet in Canada, SchoolNetIntroduction 9 India, SchoolNet South Africa, and the Open School in British Columbia, Canada, are examples. The evolving model is likely to remain focused on classrooms, but with more flexibility in the role of the teacher. This role can be portrayed as a continuum, at one end of which technologies are used to support teachers and, at the other, teachers support learning where information is primarily accessed via information and communication technologies. Change Strategies Two visions of change in educational systems emerge from the regional reports in this publication. One portrays technology as an overwhelming driving force with the emergence of a few global providers dominating the educational market through vast distribution networks and strategic partnerships. The second involves a more explicit, policy-based approach at national and state levels which is concerned with issues such as equity of access, curriculum relevance to labour market needs, accreditation, consumer protection, and cultural sensitivity. These visions are, of course, not mutually exclusive as they can, and are likely to, co-exist. However, if they are to coexist in a positive way, then it behooves educational policy makers to ensure that the educational leaders in their jurisdictions are making decisions in a careful manner and are managing the process of change as constructively as possible.
Following are some strategies that the study team considers important:
1. Ensure that information and communication technology development planning is linked with educational planning so that the application is both appropriate and sustainable in terms of access to the infrastructure. Wherever possible, virtual delivery should be linked to the development of tele-centres to enhance access and add value to overall information and communication technology development.
2. Use policy, legislative, and regulatory incentives to ensure that some portion of telecommunication capacity (e.g., X% of cable channels or Y% of bandwidth) is reserved for educational use at costs that are affordable by institutions. If such incentives are available free of charge to accredited institutions, they will help ensure that educational applications become part of telecommunication infrastructure development.
3. Ensure that all facets of the concept of appropriateness are considered. In other words, the technology needs to be appropriate to the skills and characteristics of the target learners, the nature of the programme content, the current competency of the instructional staff, and available funding.
4. Show how the application of information and communication technology in education can enhance existing practice. If teachers perceive that a given application will help them accomplish their goals more efficiently and effectively, they will more likely change their behaviour and be motivated to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge.
5. Ensure that appropriate staff training and development programmes are available as an essential part of any change strategy.
6. If the purpose of increased utilisation of information and communication technologies is to achieve cost savings, ensure that there is a clear plan in place indicating precisely how such savings will be effected and whether they will be real savings rather than simply a transfer of costs to students.
7. Encourage differentiated mandates among institutions. There is an obvious cost benefit if complementary rather than competitive development can be achieved within educational systems.
8. Encourage and support initiatives of faculty members. Change, particularly within conventional institutions, often occurs at the initiative of the individual teachers rather than by strategic decisions taken by the institutions.
9. Consider how or whether institutional functions can be “unbundled,” particularly between those functions related directly to the provision of instruction, and those that relate to materials development and learner support. The goal is to enable the partners to focus on what they each do best—their “core business.”
10. Recognise that the development of virtual education models will create change forces in a variety of other ways: *
Advising and counselling may need to be managed differently. *
Concerns over the quality assurance of providers using information and communication technologies will develop as new players become involved. *
Issues of credit recognition and transfer will arise between institutions. *
Demands from learners for assessment of existing skills and knowledge will become commonplace. *
Decisions related to the allocation of funds will increasingly be between the costs of “bricks and mortar” on one hand, and the cost of “bandwidth” on the other.
11. Effective incorporation of the technologies requires a commitment by all parts of an institution. For example, the offering of courses on-line will be diminished if the registry insists on “hard copy” processes. Summary As stated at the outset, this study was designed as a “snapshot” of current practice and the state of development of virtual education.
Given the dynamic nature of information and communication technology, the examples cited date very quickly. However, what will endure is the phenomenon of change that educational institutions at all levels, and in all parts of the world, are experiencing. The decisions that face educational leaders and practitioners are no longer simply intra-institutional; increasingly they are systemic and international in scope and involve some aspect of technological application. The world of education has become a smaller place and, like it or not, more interdependent. However, just as the emerging information and communication technologies have made the educational decision-making environment more complex, so have they led to a great deal of conventional wisdom regarding their application. We cannot over-stress the importance of the concept of appropriateness when making decisions about information and communications technology applications. This study has revealed nothing if not that the use of information and communication technology should be in the context of clearly stated educational outcomes accompanied by practical strategies for achieving them.

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